Football shaped Mike Adams into the man he is today. “The biggest sign in our locker room said ‘Respect Women,’” he tells Tim about his time playing for Ohio State University. His team was the center of his life, connecting him with friends, mentors, and a sense of purpose.

So when Mike retired from the NFL after years of injuries and complications, he lost a community that was important to him. “There's an identity shift that happens when you retire where… overnight, I'm no longer a football player,” Mike says. “Well, who am I going to be?”

For Mike, yoga brought him the answer. It put him in touch with his body in ways football never did, and the people he met through yoga valued him outside of his success in the NFL. Mike’s yoga practice helped him transition into a new sense of purpose, and he became a yoga teacher to provide the same support to others that helped him when he needed it most. “It's given me a way to push myself mentally and spiritually,” he says. “But then also… a way to give back.”

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Mike Adams is a yoga and mindfulness instructor. You can learn more about him and his yoga retreats at his website thehopedealer.yoga and find his virtual classes at stillwavelive.com.

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Our theme music was written by Andy Ogden and produced by Tim Lauer, Andy Ogden and Julian Raymond. All other music that you hear in this episode is courtesy of Epidemic Sound.

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A Former NFL Player’s Journey From Offensive Tackle to Yogi

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